Collagen-fat injectable fillers are also called soft-tissue augmentation, which are a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed to correct wrinkles, depressions in the skin and scarring.
Collagen is basically is the connective tissue that forms the support network for the skin, and comprises of about 90 percent of the dermal volume. In 1981, FDA approved the use of purified bovine collagen to replace the material lost by the skin.
The number of collagen injection procedures has increased from 347,000 procedures in 1997 to 1 million in 2001, an increase of 188 percent. But after 2001, the collagen injection procedures are in a steady decline, with only 620,000 procedures being performed in 2003. This could be due to the cannibalization by the Botox procedures. The cost of the collagen injection procedure is same as that of Botox at $ 400, according to our medical facility reports.
Fat injections are given by cosmetic surgeons to remove the fat tissue. The fat tissue is harvested from a donor site, usually the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, processed as thin strands and injected into the wrinkle. In 1997, about 38,000 such procedures were performed, which then increased to 78,000 in 2001. The numbers have not changed much since then. It can estimate may cost up to $ 1,300.
Basically least expensive fillers, such as collagen, start at around $200 per vial of the product. Products like Sculptra can cost up to $500 per vial and the most expensive permanent fillers cost in excess of $100 per vial. The amount needed for a treatment can vary a great deal depending on the degree of wasting that has occurred. One vial is typically the minimum used per round of injections. An additional charge will also be the fees of the doctor administering the injections. These charges can vary, but are typically up to $500 or more per round of injections. In most treatments for facial wasting require a minimum of four rounds of injections and the total cost of treatment often exceeds $6,000.
Doctors and activists are advocating with the makers of Collagen-Fat Injections cost to form a patient assistance program (PAP) for people who cannot afford the cost of treatment. Even if a Sculptra PAP is formed however, this will not cover the cost of the injection procedure.
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